drawing　its　beef　ration；　much　to　the　discomfiture　of　the　disgruntled
  beef　contractor。
  The　camp　at　La　Pena　was　on　sandy　ground；　unpleasant　for　men　and
  animals；　and　by　my　advice　it　was　moved　to　La　Pendencia；　not　far　from
  Lake　Espantosa。　　Before　removal　from　our　old　location；　however；　early
  one　bright　morning　Frankman　and　I　started　on　one　of　our　customary
  expeditions；　going　down　La　Pena　Creek　to　a　small　creek；　at　the　head
  of　which　we　had　established　a　hunting　rendezvous。　　After　proceeding
  along　the　stream　for　three　or　four　miles　we　saw　a　column　of　smoke　on
  the　prairie；　and　supposing　it　arose　from　a　camp　of　Mexican　rancheros
  catching　wild　horses　or　wild　cattle；　and　even　wild　mules；　which　were
  very　numerous　in　that　section　of　country　along　the　Nueces　River；　we
  thought　we　would　join　the　party　and　see　how　much　success　they　were
  having；　and　observe　the　methods　employed　in　this　laborious　and
  sometimes　dangerous　vocation。　　With　this　object　in　view；　we　continued
  on　until　we　found　it　necessary　to　cross　to　the　other　side　of　the
  creek　to　reach　the　point　indicated　by　the　smoke。　　Just　before
  reaching　the　crossing　I　discovered　moccasin　tracks　near　the　water's
  edge；　and　realizing　in　an　instant　that　the　camp　we　were　approaching
  might　possibly　be　one　of　hostile　Indiansall　Indians　in　that　country
  at　that　time　were　hostileFrankman　and　I　backed　out　silently；　and
  made　eager　strides　for　La　Pena；　where　we　had　scarcely　arrived　when
  Captain　M。　E。　Van　Buren；　of　the　Mounted　Rifle　regiment；　came　in　with
  a　small　command；　and　reported　that　he　was　out　in　pursuit　of　a　band　of
  Comanche　Indians；　which　had　been　committing　depredations　up　about
  Fort　Clark；　but　that　he　had　lost　the　trail。　　I　immediately　informed
  him　of　what　had　occurred　to　me　during　the　morning；　and　that　I　could
  put　him　on　the　trail　of　the　Indians　he　was　desirous　of　punishing。
  We　hurriedly　supplied　with　rations　his　small　command　of　thirteen；
  men；　and　I　then　conducted　him　to　the　point　where　I　had　seen　the
  smoke；　and　there　we　found　signs　indicating　it　to　be　the　recently
  abandoned　camp　of　the　Indians　he　was　pursuing；　and　we　also　noticed
  that　prairie　rats　had　formed　the　principal　article　of　diet　at　the
  meal　they　had　just　completed。　　As　they　had　gone；　I　could　do　no　more
  than　put　him　on　the　trail　made　in　their　departure；　which　was　well
  marked；　for　Indians；　when　in　small　parties；　and　unless　pressed；
  usually　follow　each　other　in　single　file。　　Captain　Van　Buren　followed
  the　trail　by　Fort　Ewell；　and　well　down　toward　Corpus　Christi；　day　and
  night；　until　the　Indians；　exhausted　and　used　up；　halted；　on　an　open
  plain；　unsaddled　their　horses；　mounted　bareback；　and　offered　battle。
  Their　number　was　double　that　of　Van　Buren's　detachment；　but　he
  attacked　them　fearlessly；　and　in　the　fight　was　mortally　wounded　by　an
  arrow　which　entered　his　body　in　front；　just　above　the　sword　belt；　and
  came　through　the　belt　behind。　　The　principal　chief　of　the　Indians　was
  killed；　and　the　rest　fled。　　Captain　Van　Buren's　men　carried　him　to
  Corpus　Christi；　where　in　a　few　days　he　died。
  After　our　removal　to　La　Pendencia　a　similar　pursuit　of　savages
  occurred；　but　with　more　fortunate　results。　　Colonel　John　H。　King；　now
  on　the　retired　list；　then　a　captain　in　the　First　Infantry；　came　to
  our　camp　in　pursuit　of　a　marauding　band　of　hostile　Indians；　and　I　was
  enabled　to　put　him　also　on　the　trail。　　He　soon　overtook　them；　and
  killing　two　without　loss　to　himself；　the　band　dispersed　like　a　flock
  of　quail　and　left　him　nothing　to　follow。　　He　returned　to　our　camp
  shortly　after；　and　the　few　friendly　Indian　scouts　he　had　with　him
  held　a　grand　pow…wow　and　dance　over　the　scalps　of　the　fallen　braves。
  Around　La　Pendencia；　as　at　La　Pena；　the　country　abounded　in　deer；
  antelope；　wild　turkeys；　and　quail；　and　we　killed　enough　to　supply
  abundantly　the　whole　command　with　the　meat　portion　of　the　ration。
  Some　mornings　Frankman　and　I　would　bring　in　as　many　as　seven　deer；
  and　our　hunting　expeditions　made　me　so　familiar　with　the　region
  between　our　camp　arid　Fort　Duncan；　the　headquarters　of　the　regiment；
  that　I　was　soon　enabled　to　suggest　a　more　direct　route　of
  communication　than　the　circuitous　one　then　traversed；　and　in　a　short
  time　it　was　established。
  Up　to　this　time　I　had　been　on　detached　duty；　but　soon　my　own　company
  was　ordered　into　the　field　to　occupy　a　position　on　Turkey　Creek；
  about　ten　or　twelve　miles　west　of　the　Nueces　River；　on　the　road　from
  San　Antonio　to　Fort　Duncan；　and　I　was　required　to　join　the　company。
  Here　constant　work　and　scouting　were　necessary；　as　our　camp　was
  specially　located　with　reference　to　protecting　from　Indian　raids　the
  road　running　from　San　Antonio　to　Fort　Duncan；　and　on　to　the　interior
  of　Mexico。　　In　those　days　this　road　was　the　great　line　of　travel；　and
  Mexican　caravans　were　frequently　passing　over　it；　to　and　fro；　in　such
  a　disorganized　condition　as　often　to　invite　attack　from　marauding
  Comanches　and　Lipans。　　Our　time；　therefore；　was　incessantly　occupied
  in　scouting；　but　our　labors　were　much　lightened　because　they　were
  directed　with　intelligence　and　justice　by　Captain　McLean；　whose
  agreeable　manners　and　upright　methods　are　still　so　impressed　on　my
  memory　that　to　this　day　I　look　back　upon　my　service　with　〃D〃　Company
  of　the　First　Infantry　as　among　those　events　which　I　remember　with
  most　pleasure。
  In　this　manner　my　first　summer　of　active　field　duty　passed　rapidly
  away；　and　in　the　fall　my　company　returned　to　Fort　Duncan　to　go　into
  winter　quarters。　　These　quarters；　when　constructed；　consisted　of　〃A〃
  tents　pitched　under　a　shed　improvised　by　the　company。　　With　only
  these　accommodations　I　at　first　lived　around　as　best　I　could　until
  the　command　was　quartered；　and　then；　requesting　a　detail　of　wagons
  from　the　quartermaster；　I　went　out　some　thirty　miles　to　get　poles　to
  build　a　more　comfortable　habitation　for　myself。　　In　a　few　days　enough
  poles　for　the　construction　of　a　modest　residence　were　secured　and
  brought　in；　and　then　the　building　of　my　house　began。　　First；　the
  poles　were　cut　the　proper　length；　planted　in　a　trench　around　four
  sides　of　a　square　of　very　small　proportions；　and　secured　at　the　top
  by　string…pieces　stretched　from　one　angle　to　another；　in　which
  half…notches　hack　been　made　at　proper　intervals　to　receive　the
  uprights。　　The　poles　were　then　made　rigid　by　strips　nailed　on
  half…way　to　the　ground；　giving　the　sides　of　the　structure　firmness；
  but　the　interstices　were　large　and　frequent；　still；　with　the　aid　of
  some　old　condemned　paulins　obtained　from　the　quartermaster；　the　walls
  were　covered　and　the　necessity　for　chinking　obviated。　　This　method　of
  covering　the　holes　in　the　side　walls　also　possessed　the　advantage　of
  permitting　some　little　light　to　penetrate　to　the　interior　of　the
  house；　and　avoided　the　necessity　of　constructing　a　window；　for　which；
  by　the　way；　no　glass　could　have　been　obtained。　　Next　a　good　large
  fire…place　and　chimney　were　built　in　one　corner　by　means　of　stones
  and　mud；　and　then　the　roof　was　put　ona　thatched　one　of　prairie
  grass。　　The　floor　was　dirt　compactly　tamped。
  My　furniture　was　very　primitive：　a　chair　or　two；　with　about　the　same
  number　of　camp　stools；　a　cot；　and　a　rickety　old　bureau　that　I
  obtained　in　some　way　not　now　remembered。　　My　washstand　consisted　of　a
  board　about　three　feet　long；　resting　on　legs　formed　by　driving　sticks
  into　the　ground　until　they　held　it　at　about　the　proper　height　from
  the　floor。　　This　washstand　was　the　most　expensive　piece　of　furniture
  I　owned；　the　board　having　cost　me　three　dollars；　and　even　then　I
  obtained　it　as　a　favor；　for　lumber　on　the　Rio　Grande　was　so　scarce　in
  those　days　that　to　possess　even　the　smallest　quantity　was　to　indulge
  in　great　luxury。　　Indeed；　about　all　that　reached　the　post　was　what
  came　in　the　shape　of　bacon　boxes；　and　the　boards　from　these　were
  reserved　for　coffins　in　which　to　bury　our　dead。
  In　this　rude　habitation　I　spent　a　happy　winter；　and　was　more
  comfortably　off　than　many　of　the　officers；　who　had　built　none；　but
  lived　in　tents　and　took　the　chances　of　〃Northers。〃　During　this　period
  our　food　was　principally　the　soldier's　ration：　flour；　pickled　pork；
  nasty　baconcured　in　the　dust　of　ground　charcoaland　fresh　beef；　of
  which　we　had　a　plentiful　supply；　supplemented　with　game　of　various
  kinds。　　The　sugar；　coffee；　and　smaller　parts　of　the　ration　were　good；
  but　we　had　no　vegetables；　and　the　few　jars　of　preserves　and　some　few
  vegetables　kept　by　the　sutler　were　too　expensive　to　be　indulged　in。
  So　during　all　the　period　I　lived　at　Fort　Duncan　and　its　sub…camps；
  nearly　sixteen　months；　fresh　vegetables　were　practically
  unobtainable。　　To　prevent　scurvy　we　used　the　juice　of　the　maguey
  plant；　called　pulque；　and　to　obtain　a　supply　of　this　anti…scorbutic　I
  was　often　detailed　to　march　the　company　out　about　forty　miles；　cut
  the　plant；　load　up　two　or　three　wagons　with　the　stalks；　and　carry
  them　to　camp。　　Here　the　juice　was　extracted　by　a　rude　press；　and　put
  in　bottles　until　it　fermente